In the national struggle for civil rights Tisch was arrested seven times, and this experience helped shape her deep commitment to theatre for social justice. At the University of Northern Iowa, she developed an extensive outreach program, and at University of Iowa she founded the Darwin Turner Action Theatre which brought students into classrooms and community centers around the state to explore social and political topics.

She directed major productions, often by African American writers, throughout her tenure in the Department of Theatre Arts. With Jim Hatch she developed Klub Ka, which was performed in Iowa and New York City.

Before she held faculty positions in Iowa she served as assistant to Lloyd Richards, Dean of the Yale School of Drama and Artistic Director of Yale Repertory Theatre, where she helped transfer three plays by August Wilson to Broadway.